The Codex of Law and Justice
Commonly refered to as "The Codex" this work was published by Sir Gerald Leonsmane to act as the ultimate code of law that good society's should uphold. It was then added to and is now the rulebook and manual for laws in the Lion Legionnaires. It is seperated into varrying sections, each section refered to by a letter, and then seperated further still by its article, refered to by a number. When referencing a particular law or rule, it is cited by its section, then article, for example, a violation of Section E, Article 5 means that a person is accused of property damage. A) Path of the Exalted First and foremost, we are promoters of good. There is more to being good than, slaying evil. As such we must ourselves be more than simple killers of vile creatures. Here are the guidelines for what our order should promote, and encourage at all times. Taking part in these things will help improve the lives of every one of its members, and the lives of every member of the community of Beldin and the valley. Note that these are not requirements and nobody will be forcing you to do these things, they are simply encouraged by the order to improve the lives of those people we protect. 1: Charity While you are not expected to donate any percentage of your earnings to any one charity fund, we are all as a whole encouraged to when we can aid those who are less fortunate than ourselves. Offer food to the hungry, gold to the orphanage, and shelter to the homeless, and extend to them the hospitality of the Lion Legionaries. In turn we will see Beldin become a more prosperous land, and its people happier. That and always extend an offer to those pure of heart to join our order so that they can help others as well. 2: Forgiveness A world tied up in hate, is a world that will never be able to truly heal itself. We must in order to come together as an order devoted to the highest standard of good, take the mantle upon ourselves individually to put ourselves above petty revenge. I urge members to put hate and rivalries past you, and to forgive. This does not mean you simply must "forgive and forget" every time somebody harms you. Simply always keep an open mind that people are capable of change, so do not let vengeance cloud your judgment. By extending forgiveness to those who ask, we can aid in spreading good both by encouraging those who are trying to turn away from evil, and by demonstrating to everybody else that the path of redemption is possible. 3: Hope In the face of darkness, when all hope seems to be lost, and there seems to be no sign of relief, we must be that flicker of hope that evil has not corrupted all, and that we can resist. If Beldin looses hope in its heroes, then all we fight for is lost. Whether it is simply raising the spirits of our fellow townsfolk, or publicly showing our good to the realm, we must always let Beldin know that good does exist, and that for those who wish to see good spread to others, there is a place they can go for help. So I urge all of you to spread hope everywhere you go. B) The Straight and Narrow Listed here are the laws in which every member of the Lion Legionnaires are expected to adhere to strictly in order that our order may represent the finest example of good. If any of these commandments are broken it will result in the immediate expulsion from the order until further review. 1) Helping Others As a member of the Lion Legionnaires you are expected to be a shining example of good to all those who see you, whether you are in uniform or not you are expected to, when able, lend aid to those in need. You are to do this regardless of the difficulty, regardless of the cost to you. Your response when asked if you can help somebody should never be "How much can you pay?" or "How is this worth my time?". These are the responses of lesser men. It should go without saying that caution should be taken even when doing these things however. Do not undertake tasks when you know you are outmatched, and do not undertake evil tasks or other things that might break a different commandment. If you do happen to find yourself outmatched in a task do not be afraid to bring it to your superiors in order to get help. Your brothers and sisters will always be willing to lend aid to you in any just cause. 2) Healing Going hand in hand with Helping Others is the act of healing those who need it. Whether it is healing of the physical body of wounds or illness, or healing of the spirit, never should you turn away those who are in need of healing. This includes both allies and enemies. If you come across an enemy who is near death and in need of our help, heal him. Naturally this does not mean to be foolish. Make sure that you are not putting yourself or others in further danger by healing the enemy. The Lion Legionnaires as an order promoting goodness in the land are all required to do these acts free of charge as well. Never should you deny somebody healing because they cannot pay for every application of positive energy is helping advance our cause. 3) Worship The Lion Legionnaires are a semi-religiously free order. We promote and accept members of any faith dedicated to the advancement of and spread of good. Faiths of neutral alignment we will accept on a case by case basis but retain the right to reject acceptance if the Grand-Marshal does not feel that this deity best represents our cause. Worship of any deity related with evil will not be tolerated and anybody worshiping said deities will not be permitted entrance to the Lion Legionnaires unless they denounce their religion. Other than this we do not hold any one religion above any others and all shall be treated equally in the eyes of the Lion so long as we all strive for the common goal of spreading good throughout the kingdom. Anybody that is a member that is suspected of practicing religion to a god who does not meet our criteria will be expelled from the order until further consideration. 4) Mercy While this may be a hard concept to grasp for many of you in the Ordo Gladius mercy is something that must be taken very seriously if we are to advance the cause of good. In order to stand out apart from the evil we fight we must put ourselves above their vile ways. Each and every one of us is called to show mercy to even those who would never show mercy to you. It is to easy in this world to succumb to evil and become merciless in our quest to rid the world of evil but we must not let ourselves become simple slayers of evil. We are first and foremost spreaders of good, and as such show mercy to all those who ask for it. This does not mean we must do so foolishly. However, if a foe surrenders, it is our duty to accept that surrender and to bind him, and treat him as kindly as possible without compromising the safety of those around you. Through doing this we can show the people that there is hope for good yet, and that we need not resort to evil in order to combat evil. 5) Negative Energy Negative energy is something that comes straight from the Negative energy plane and is the source of all undead in the realm. As such it is a dark power and one that promotes evil. We of the Lion Legionnaires will not tolerate the use of negative energy from any of our members and the act of channeling negative energy will result in expulsion from the order until further review. Likewise, the summoning of undead falls under this category and is also not tolerated in any way. Even if commanded to do good deeds the act of bringing negative energy into the Material Plane is ultimately an evil act. 6) Fiends Just as summoning undead brings evil into the Material Plane so too does the summoning or cooperating with fiends. Under no circumstances are any members of the Lion Legionnaires to cooperate with or summon fiends and if so caught or suspected of such activity they will be immediately expelled from the order until further review. Even commanding a fiend to do good deeds is an act of evil as no fiend acts as a single entity. They all have superiors and when you bring one of them into the Material Plane and the eyes of Hell or the Abyss could be brought needlessly upon Beldin endangering lives further. This is unacceptable and will not be condoned by the Lion Legionnaires. 7) Violence Violence is an ugly thing, but one that is a must when engaging the forces of evil. However we must ensure that through violence we do not lose sight of our goals, and do not fall victim to many of the evil temptations that violence brings about. Violence should always be done with a reason in mind. Never should one engage in combat simply for combats sake. Combat should also always be directed towards the forces of evil and never with good. While good nations can war against other good nations, the act of this is never a good act in itself and can bring just as many evil acts into being. That said, even declaring war upon an evil tribe of orc's is not always the right thing to do. If while traveling you come across an orc tribe that registers as evil, that alone is not reason enough to attack them. A full scale war would provoke the orcs to further evil deeds and bring unnecessary pain and suffering to both sides of the conflict. If said orcs were causing harm, the matter is different. Similarly revenge should never be a cause for violence, as it is a tool of evil and something for lesser men. 8) Torture Just as needless violence is evil, so too is torture. The act of bringing such pain upon a defenseless individual is never a good act. It is easy to look at things with an "Ends justify the means" mentality, but this mentality is ultimately flawed, and never should we look to use that as an excuse. An evil deed, is an evil deed regardless of what good comes from it. And every time a man of good character commits an evil deed, it is a tip in the cosmic scale between good and evil, in evils favor, going against everything we work for. For these reasons torture is banned from use in the Lion Legionnaires and any member found practicing it will be banned from the order until further review. 9) Mind Compulsion While the use of mind altering spells is not in itself an evil act, you are essentially taking somebody's free will into your hands, and as such taking on a great deal of responsibility. If at any time you are to use a mind compulsion spell it MUST be done for a good reason and should always be monitored closely to ensure that the victim is not taken advantage of in any way shape or form and never force the victim to commit evil. Anybody found taking advantage of the powers of mind compelling spells will be banned from the order until further review. 10) Chivalry The Lion Legionnaires are not barbarians, so neither should we behave as such. Whether you are on duty, or off duty you represent the image of our order and people look up to you as a shining example of what is good. Behave as such, and never give in to evil temptation. As such the following rules must be adhered to. No member will slay any non-combatants. Meaning, if during a raid on a hostile orc tribe you come across woman and children, you DO NOT engage them. Leave them be, and if they are in need of help after the battle, the Ordo Animus will attend to those needs. The slaying of non-combatants will result in expulsion from the order until further review. Just as we will not slay enemy non-combatants, it is required that all members of the Lion Legionnaires protect those who cannot protect themselves, especially the weak and poor, and women and children. In addition we are all required to respect the dead of all, friend and foe. Never will a Lion Legionnaire be allowed to disrespect or defile the corpse of a fallen foe or enemy. Last but not least, all members of our order are responsible for upholding the image of the Lion Legionnaires. Whether you are on duty, or off duty, you are held accountable for your actions. Be courteous to others, and be respectful to all. The Lion Legionnaires will not tolerate complaints from citizens on this matter. Through the strict adherence to these ten commandments and by following the three guidelines we will be able to stand up to the greatest of evil and shine with divine radiance that will send them cowering in fear. Through discipline, strength, and honor we will rise above simple mercenaries and not only keep the people we love safe, but make their lives happier. Grand-Marshal Gerald Leonsmane of the Lion Legionnaires C) Governmental Function in the Lion Legionnaires The Lion Legionnaires function under the leadership of a single person who leads both the militaristic side and the spiritual sides of the Legionnaires. The Grand-Marshal is the sole interpreter and holds final authority on all rules, laws, or guidelines set out by the order. This is not due to power lust but rather to ensure that changes can be made quickly and easily when necessary, and to ensure that a corrupt council cannot alter the path of this order. The title of this singular leader is that of Grand-Marshal of the Lion Legionnaires and in the event of his or her death the next Grand-Marshal is voted in by the Advisory Council or appointed to an individual chosen by the Grand-Marshal prior to death. The Grand-Marshal has the right to at any time, and immediately make changes to the laws and regulations of the order as needed. The Grand-Marshal is to appoint a board of advisers called the Advisory Council. The purpose of the Council is to give advice to the Grand-Marshal and tell them what they have heard, or what they think so that the Grand-Marshal may make more informed and educated decisions. Being a member of the Advisory Council offers no additional benefits of rank but they are called on in the case of the Grand-Marshals death to appoint the next Grand-Marshal. The Advisory Council is made up of people selected personally by the Grand-Marshal. Members of any rank or division may be on the Council so long as the Grand-Marshal appoints them. In the case of the Grand-Marshals death, any members of the Council remain on the Council unless dismissed by the new Grand-Marshal. The Advisory Council has several duties that they perform for the order. 1) The Advisory Council takes concerns that other members of the order may have and delivers them to the Grand-Marshal 2) The Advisory Council appoints the next Grand-Marshal in the case of the previous Grand-Marshal's death 3) Checks to make sure they are on time and available to all Advisory Council meetings that are listed as Manditory. 4) If a major concern is raised, any member of the Advisory Council is urged to call a meeting so that it can be brought to the Grand-Marshal's attention 5) In the case of a corrupt Grand-Marshal, any member of the Advisory Council is to issue a petition in which 80% of the orders numbers or more is to sign agreeing that they want a new Grand-Marshal. In which case the Advisory Council must vote for a new Grand-Marshal. 6) The voting process is done in a majority rules fashion. The persons whomever they may be must be proposed by one of the council members and then voted on by the council. Whomever has the most votes is deemed the new Grand-Marshal. If another council member still has an issue with this decision a petition may be drafted as stated in article 5. D) Standard Rights of Members All members of the Lion Legionnaires are afforded certain unalienable rights, certain ranks and statuses are afforded additional rights that are equally unalienable and can only be waved by the individual should they choose, in which case they will be exiled from the order. These rights are to be available and readily accessible to all, and are as follows: 1) Right to a fair trial by the Grand-Marshal All members of the Lion Legionnaires who are questioned of breaking a law within the Lion Legionnaires are always given a fair trial and judgment by the Grand-Marshal of the order. Such judgment will range from banishment from the order and surrender of all order issued gear, to a penance required to be completed before being reinstated within the Lion Legionnaires. Also at the regards of the Grand-Marshal you can be forgiven and nothing will be put on your record. 2) Right of Property All members of the Lion Legionnaires are entitled ownership of their property. At no point may a higher ranking officer make commands of a soldier to give up private property, or hand over other goods that are not related to work. Items or possessions deemed tainted or evil by a apostle can be confiscated. 3) Right of Knowledge All members of the Lion Legionnaires are permitted to know the happenings of the order in which they belong. If asked, no information will be withheld from any members who ask. The Lion Legionnaires hold no secrets from the public or from within, and have nothing to hide. 4) Right of Honor All members of the Lion Legionnaires are permitted to keep their honor in any duty given. At no time may higher ranking officials personally offend you, or insult you. If such a case arises where you feel your honor is being insulted by another member of ANY rank, bring it to your commanding officer, or a council member where it will be brought and judged before the Grand-Marshal. 5) Right of Omission Any prospective members or others passing into Lion Legionnaire territory may checked for evil by any of the Lion Legionnaire Guards, or Templar, or Master Templar, or Exalted Templar, or any member of the Ordo Animus. When approached and asked, you have the right to deny the check. The respective priest or paladin will then not check you. However, you will be forced to leave Lion Legionnaire territory after refusing to pass a check. E) Laws for All Lion Legionnaire Territory The Lion Legionnaires have territory in which these laws will be enforced, and those on said grounds will be expected to respect and adhere to the listed rules or risk being removed to a location outside Lion Legionnaire territory: Included in all Lion Legionnaire Territory is the implied requirement that all official Lion Legionnaire activity follow proper protocal and documentation. 1) Outlaws Any person deemed outlaw by Beldin is an outlaw to the Lion Legionnaires and is to be detained and brought to the Beldin Courts or killed if capture is either to dangerous or not an option. All other laws regarding treatment of enemies still applies to outlaws. 2) Declining Entrance On the rare occasion that a person is not wanted on the grounds, the Lion Legionnaires always retain the right to decline people access to any part of Lion Legionnaire controlled territory. Any member that is not of the Man-At-Arms or an Initiate may make this judgment call, however higher ranking officials may override lower ranking officials calls when it is fitting. Furthermore, the primary structure of the Lion Legionnaires is offlimits to all non-members. Non-members who seek audiance with the Grand-Marshal or access to primary structure must make an appointment ahead of time with a member and then be escorted at all times. 3) Item Theft At no point will thievery be permitted on Lion Legionnaire controlled territory. If somebody is caught having committed thievery that person will be detained and forced to answer questions before a paladin as to what items and how many items have been stolen at which point all shall be returned. The offender will then be brought to the Beldin Courts for proper punishment. 4) Identity Theft It is never permitted on any Lion Legionnaire grounds that a person may assume the identity of somebody that is not them self through magical or mundane means for any reason. If caught, they will be subjected to questioning by a paladin to determine motives, and then brought to the Beldin Courts as an offender. 5) Property Damage If at any point somebody should cause damage to another persons property while on Lion Legionnaire controlled territory, that person will be held and questioned for motive by a paladin and then made to pay double cost for all damages to the owner of the property that was damaged. This includes Lion Legionnaire equipment and property as well as everybody else on Legionnaire grounds. 6) Omission All Lion Legionnaire territory is subject to Section D, Article 5 of the Codex. 7) Purity All individuals in Lion Legionnaire territory are expected to follow and obey the commandments of Section B of the Codex. 8) Freedom Nowhere on Lion Legionnaire territory is slavery of any kind permitted. All people that are not outlaws, or offenders to the law, are not permitted to have their freedom infringed upon.